Devotionals

Spurgeon's Daily Devotionals - Evening Edition

January 9

"Serve the Lord with gladness." - Psalm 100:2

Delight in divine service is a token of acceptance. Those who serve God with a
sad countenance, because they do what is unpleasant to them, are not serving him
at all; they bring the form of homage, but the life is absent. Our God requires
no slaves to grace his throne; he is the Lord of the empire of love, and would
have his servants dressed in the livery of joy. The angels of God serve him with
songs, not with groans; a murmur or a sigh would be a mutiny in their ranks.
That obedience which is not voluntary is disobedience, for the Lord looketh at
the heart, and if he seeth that we serve him from force, and not because we love
him, he will reject our offering. Service coupled with cheerfulness is
heart-service, and therefore true. Take away joyful willingness from the
Christian, and you have removed the test of his sincerity. If a man be driven to
battle, he is no patriot; but he who marches into the fray with flashing eye and
beaming face, singing, "It is sweet for one's country to die," proves himself to
be sincere in his patriotism. Cheerfulness is the support of our strength; in
the joy of the Lord are we strong. It acts as the remover of difficulties. It is
to our service what oil is to the wheels of a railway carriage. Without oil the
axle soon grows hot, and accidents occur; and if there be not a holy
cheerfulness to oil our wheels, our spirits will be clogged with weariness. The
man who is cheerful in his service of God, proves that obedience is his element;
he can sing,

"Make me to walk in thy commands, 'Tis a delightful road."

Reader, let us put this question-do you serve the Lord with gladness? Let us
show to the people of the world, who think our religion to be slavery, that it
is to us a delight and a joy! Let our gladness proclaim that we serve a good
Master.